


Lightning Strikes Twice

by soul_writerr



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV), Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Crossover, Developing Relationship, Episode Related, Episode: s02e23 Johnny and Dora, First Kiss, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-02 07:03:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16782022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soul_writerr/pseuds/soul_writerr
Summary: After a series of devastating events, Sonny leaves Manhattan’s SVU to find himself again at Brooklyn’s 99th precinct. However, he didn’t expect a certain ADA to have the same idea.Brooklyn 99/SVU crossover AU





	1. Brooklyn Bound

**Author's Note:**

> I love Brooklyn 99 and I daydream of possible headcanons for Sonny and Rafael in that universe every single day. So here we are. Some major shade about the way Sonny is being treated at SVU at the moment. I just had to. 
> 
> Reminder that English is not my first language! Enjoy

His niece’s trial was the last straw. Sonny lost his grip and almost compromised the case. Mia almost didn’t get justice because he jumped the gun.

It was then that he realize just how far away from himself he had gone. His moral, his views, his beliefs. All of it seemed out of reach. He didn’t trust anyone, or anything. 

Even his faith was put into question at one point. 

The cases had been slowly eating him alive. The Catholic Church’s sex trafficking ring. He got a gun pointed to his head. A priest ordered a gay boy to rape a lesbian girl as part of a twisted “conversion therapy”. He saw a suspect fall to his death when he slipped from his fingers. 

Then, on his very last case, right after he had put his transfer papers in, the Jules Hunter case happened. Sonny saw that woman die as he tried to keep pressure on her wounds. She bled out right in front of him. He watched it as the light in her eyes went out.

He knew, in that moment, that transfering was the right decision. He couldn’t keep dealing with the weight of another woman, another child, another life, being lost under the hands of the most sadistic people he had ever encountered.

He lost faith in humanity. He felt like he was losing his faith in God. 

He lost the ability to trust anyone. He couldn’t form bonds with people anymore, he was too skeptical of relationships. 

He lost interest in the law after seeing it fail so many times; so many perps got away. Politics over justice, laws over morals.

And he lost Barba. The only person who seemed to ground him. The only rational mind in the midst of his idealistic disposition. The voice of reason who served as his lifeline most of the times. 

Because Barba also lost it. It also became too much for him. He left SVU. He left Manhattan. And Sonny lost him.

Sonny didn’t want to lose his will to live, too.

So here he was, almost five months later, trying to find himself again in the 99th precinct in Brooklyn. It was as far from SVU as he could go, especially when it came to the people he was working with. 

He sat across from Rosa Diaz, a fiery latina that he made sure not to annoy. It wasn’t easy, given his predisposition to overdo basically everything, but she hadn’t bitten his head off yet. 

Sonny particularly liked that his desk placement meant he had his back turned to Amy Santiago and Jake Peralta. The two had proven time and time again to be a distraction, their constant flirting getting in the way of his work more times than he thought it should. 

If he looked to his left, he had a clear view of Charles Boyle, by far his favorite member of the squad. They had a lot in common, from their love of cooking to their bonds with their big families. Also they both wore their hearts in their sleeves. 

Sergeant Terry Jeffords and Captain Raymond Holt were incredible commanding officers. Sonny had the uttermost respect for them, and tried to stay out of trouble so that it wouldn’t reflect badly on them. 

Gina, the Captain’s assistant, was probably the most insane person Sonny had ever met, and he absolutely adored her. She reminded him too much of his sisters, especially his second one, of the same name. He truly enjoyed Gina’s company, she always cracked him up.

And then there were Hitchcock and Scully. He wasn’t sure what to make of them. They always tried to get pastries and sweets out of him, but offered literally nothing in return. It was funny. 

Even though the squad got their jobs done, they knew how to have fun. The Captain himself got involved in some of the nonsense, and it was good to be able to actually let his hair down at the end of the day. 

The team was tight, and Sonny was happy. 

“Sonny,” Charles stage-whispered as he tiptoed towards Sonny’s desk. “Did you get my email?”

“About the new pizza place that opened down the street?,” Sonny grinned. “Yeah. You wanna hit it up?”

“Yes!,” Charles squealed. “But that’s not the email I’m talking about, actually. I mean the one about the precinct contest.”

Sonny frowned. “I don’t think I saw that one.”

Charles jumped up and came closer to him then, whispering as he said, “The 98th precinct has challenged us on a bake-off. You know, like the British TV Show?”

Sonny scoffed. “Of course. What’s the prize, though?”

“Well, bragging rights, first and foremost,” Charles said with a self-satisfied grin. “But also the winning precinct gets to choose the food truck that parks down the street.” 

Sonny gasped, excited. There was only one parking space for food trucks in their neighborhood, and the 98th always fought the 99th about which one got to stay there. The 98th always voted for hot dogs, while the 99th argued for pizza. It had originated many fights between both precincts, and the Nine-Eight only managed to have their gross hot dog truck because their Captain had seniority on Holt.

“Charles, this is our chance!,” he grinned and high-fived Charles, which got them an unamused glare from Rosa. 

“And I’m not even worried, my friend, because guess the theme,” he teased, barely giving Sonny time to think before he said, “Italian cuisine!”

“Oh, boy,” Sonny laughed. This was going to be  _ so easy _ and he’d win major points with the squad. “We got this, Charles.”

“That’s what I like to hear! So I was thinking we -“

“Everybody!,” Holt’s voice boomed across the bullpen, interrupting the rant Sonny was sure Boyle was about to start. “It’s 9AM! Why is no one working? Briefing room, now.”

“Duty calls,” Charles singsonged, patting Sonny on the back. “We can plan our dishes later.”

“You bet, Charles,” he winked, standing up and grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. Sonny always preened under Holt’s appreciation for his wardrobe, even though it wasn’t much considering the way Jake dressed made everyone else look way too proper.

“You better win,” Rosa muttered as she trailed behind him on the way to the briefing room. “I can’t stand that nasty hot dog truck. It makes the whole street stink like spoiled meat.” 

“We got this in the bag, Rosa,” Sonny promised, shooting her his best confident look as she rolled her eyes unimpressed. 

“Attention, Nine-Nine!,” Jake called out while everybody took their seats. Sonny chose to sit next to Gina, and she acknowledged him with a wink. “Say hello to Michael Augustine,” Jake continued, clicking on a small remote to reveal a picture on the screen beside him. “He is Brooklyn’s most prolific identity thief. Last week he walked into a government building and stole a computer containing over a hundred thousand social security numbers. Tonight Augustine is expected to hand off the laptop to a buyer from China. AKA the Land of Dragons,” he said with a self-satisfied smirk.

“Make sure that phrase is not in your official report,” Captain Holt requested, crossing his arms over his chest. The Captain was very hard to read. He always had a neutral expression, and his voice was perfectly even. Sonny could count in one hand the number of times he saw his face reflect any type of emotion. 

“Okay, sorry. The  _ Country  _ of Dragons,” Jake corrected himself, looking at Charles, who gave him a thumbs-up.

Holt rolled his eyes, then looked around the room quickly. “I want Peralta and Santiago to tail Augustine until he makes the drop. Then Carisi and Boyle stay on that computer to arrest the buyer.”

“Copy that,” Sonny said eagerly. The Nine-Nine was a fun group, and the more of them working on the same case definitely meant the best stories to tell later.

“Dismissed,” Holt nodded and left the room without saying another word. 

“Amen,” Gina said beside him, and leaned her face against Sonny’s arm like a needy cat. “Sonny, I need your help.”

Sonny chuckled beside himself. Gina had a whiny tone to her voice that reminded him of his middle sister. “Yeah? What is it?”

“You still have friends in Manhattan, right?,” she asked as she typed something into her phone. He hummed his reply. He would like to think so. “Do you think you could get my dance group to participate in this year’s Manhattan Elite Dancing Competition?”

“Uh,” Sonny blinked. “Gina, I don’t have leverage in the dancing competition scene.” 

Gina narrowed her eyes at him. “Wasn’t your Lieutenant a woman called Olivia Benson?”

“Yes,” he replied cautiously. Sonny was suddenly worried about how and why Gina knew about his previous commanding officer.

“Well, she’s giving a speech at the competition before it starts,” Gina told him excitedly. “This year’s theme is ‘Women: sensually in power’.”

Sonny honestly could not picture his former Lieutenant attending one of Gina’s dance competitions. Even if she was there to give what sure would be an inspiring speech about empowering women. 

“Okay,” he nodded. “I’ll talk to her. But no promises, Gina. I haven’t spoken to her in months.”

Olivia had called him a month after he transferred to Brooklyn. She told him she had bumped into Holt at a City Hall event and he seemed very pleased with Sonny’s work. Of course, Sonny saw past the compliments when Olivia sighed and asked how he was doing. 

He knew she felt guilty. He saw it in her eyes when he handed her the papers. Sonny saw the way her expression turned into one of disappointment. When she looked up at him and asked if there was anything she could do to change his mind, he almost gave up on the idea altogether. He respected her too much. But he had to do it. For their sake. 

“Thanks, boo,” Gina squeezed his bicep and winked again, standing up with her attention already back to her phone. 

“Carisi,” Sergeant Jeffords called as soon as Sonny stood up from his seat, the briefing room now mostly empty save for a couple uniformed officers. “We gotta go down the DA’s office. Carl recused himself from the jewel heist case, so we have to brief the ADA taking over. I think he wants you to testify.” 

Sonny’s eyebrows shot up. Carl hardly ever asked anyone from the 99th to testify because it quickly turned into an uncontrollable mess. He figured the new ADA would learn that soon enough, too. “Really? Well, sure. Are we going down there now?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna let the Captain know and we’ll go,” he nodded, making his way out. “It shouldn’t take long.”

Brooklyn’s DA office wasn’t that different from Manhattan’s. It was in an insanely tall and large concrete-looking building in 350 Jay Street. He hadn’t been there as often. Given their inability to control themselves under more formal settings, the 99th didn’t work as closely to their ADAs as SVU did. 

But being there again made Sonny miss his late nights studying law, watching trials and, of course, shadowing Barba. 

That had been the highlight of his time as a law student. 

Before he decided on asking to be transferred, Sonny considered going into law practice. He looked into some potential civil law jobs, he looked into positions as a paralegal, and even did some research on defense attorney firms, but without Barba’s guidance, he gave that idea up quickly. 

“I heard about the competition, man,” Terry told him excitedly as they waited outside the new ADA’s office. “I know you and Boyle are going to smash the Nine-Eight. We’re finally gonna have our pizza truck!"

“Don’t go pressuring me, Sarge,” Sonny teased. “You’ve tried my panna cotta -”

“And it’s heaven, Carisi,” he guaranteed. “We’re gonna win this damn thing!"

Sonny laughed. “If we don’t, I promise to cook everyone lunch for a week,” he shrugged playfully. He trusted his abilities. And honestly, he loved cooking for the squad.

“Carbonara? With leftovers for Sharon?,” Terry asked semi-sheepishly, his eyes squinting. 

“Sarge, with all the leftovers for Sharon and the girls,” he brought his hand up for a fist-bump, which was met with enthusiasm. 

“That’s what I like to hear!,” Terry laughed, and just then the door behind him opened. 

Sonny still had the ghost of a laugh on his face when he caught sight of the ADA. It froze there. Because standing right in front of them was Rafael Barba in all his three-piece suit and coiffed hair glory. 

“Counselor,” Terry spoke up, offering his hand for Rafael to shake. “Sergeant Terry Jeffords. I hope we weren’t being too loud. We just got very excited about -”

“Carisi’s carbonara,” he interrupted, shaking Terry’s hand with his eyes on Sonny. “I surely remember how good it is.”

“Oh,” Terry’s eyes widened, surprised. “You two know each other?”

Even though the Sergeant was looking at him, Sonny couldn’t find his voice. Barba was here. He was the 99th’s ADA. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What was the likelihood of something like that happening?

“Yes, we do,” Rafael replied when the silence stretched for too long. “Carisi and I worked together at Manhattan’s SVU.” 

Terry’s eyebrows shot up at that, and he looked at Sonny again, his gaze sharper now. He knew the circumstances which had brought him to Brooklyn. Sonny had been candid on his first day, as he introduced himself to his new Sergeant and Captain. They knew about his niece, about the gun to his head, about the perp that slipped from his fingers, about the car accident.

He had expected to be dismissed with a curt nod, but instead, Terry and Raymond shared ways they had dealt with similar traumas in the past. They were understanding, open, and sympathetic in a way Sonny didn’t expect. They were respectful and mindful of his triggers, and they were a support system Sonny didn’t know he could find within the NYPD.

That he never found at SVU.

“Yeah,” Sonny finally said, nodding. He offered his hand to Rafael and, when he took it, Sonny held on to it for longer and tighter than necessary. “Barba was our favorite ADA. It’s nice to see you again, Counselor.” 

“Likewise,” he gave him a small, but seemingly genuine smile. “I hope I get to be the 99th’s favorite as well.”

“Carl is not coming back?,” Terry asked, curious. 

“I’m afraid not. He’s being investigated for misconduct after having an affair with two witnesses. And a juror. All on the same case,” Rafael told them, and his tone was one of gossip. 

“Damn,” the Sergeant whistled. “It’s always the quiet ones.”

Rafael chuckled. “Well, it worked out well for me,” he looked at Sonny. “I look forward to working with your squad.” 

Sonny smiled. “Me too, Counselor. Just don’t go changing your mind when you meet the rest of the team. The 99th is not as… sober as SVU.”

Rafael’s eyebrows shot up and Terry snorted. “You could say it’s an acquired taste. But I’m proud of my squad, and I can guarantee you we do our jobs right.” 

“Well, I’ll be the judge of that,” Rafael gestured for them to follow him into his office. Sonny looked around curiously, mentally logging in all the ways in which this office was different from the one Barba had in Manhattan. It wasn’t as wide, but it looked just as classy and expensive. “But thank you for the warning.”

“I’m surprised Carmen isn’t around,” Sonny commented as he took a seat across from Rafael. He got a weird sense of déjà vu. 

“Oh trust me, I am trying to get her here,” Rafael smiled, sitting back on his big leather chair in a way that looked very familiar to Sonny. “I don’t think I can function quite as well without her.” 

“At least there’s no Buchanan or Rita to dodge calls from, right?,” he snorted. 

Rafael nodded, looking half-amused. “I’m sure I’m going to find a defense attorney or two who’ll get on my nerves, though.”

“Aren’t all defense attorneys awful?,” Terry interjected, frowning.

“They are,” Sonny replied and Rafael hummed in agreement. “But their level of nastiness goes up big time when they’re defending serial rapists.”

“Ouch,” Terry grimaced. “Makes sense. At least we’re only here about a jewel heist, right?!”

“Indeed,” Rafael said, picking up the case files on his desk. “I have to say Carl left this case a mess. Would you mind walking me through it?”

As they worked, Sonny became very much aware of how much he had missed working with Barba. He was just as quick and sharp, just as witty and handsome as ever. Sonny couldn’t help the flutter in his stomach as they fell into a familiar back and forth.

It felt like another little piece of his life had fallen back into place. 

* * *

When they got back to the precinct, Amy, Jake and Charles were waiting for Sonny in the breakroom. They had four straws on the table, one shorter than the others. Instantly, Sonny knew what it was about.

“We’re pulling straws to see who’s gonna drive the surveillance van,” Jake told him unnecessarily. They did that every time because it meant whoever was behind the wheel missed out on most of the action. And the Nine-Nine was all about the action. 

“It better not be me,” Amy said as Jake fetched Rosa so she could hold up the straws for them. 

“This is stupid,” Rosa said, but held up the straws in her hand anyway. “We all know it’s gonna be Charles.”

“Now you’ve jinxed it!,” he groaned as they all reached for the straws and, much like Rosa predicted, Charles pulled the shorter one. “Crap!”

“Sorry, Charles,” Sonny chuckled. “But hey, I call shotgun,” he said, earning a groan from Jake and Amy. He smirked and told Charles, “We can talk about out strategy for the food truck competition.”

“Yes!,” Charles woo-hooed, then pointed at Amy. “Suck it, Santiago.”

Amy pulled a face. “You make no sense, Boyle,” she said through a clenched jaw and waved Charles off. She turned on her heels like a bratty child and left the room just as Captain Holt walked in. “Carisi,” he called, beckoning him over. “A word?” 

Jake and Charles exchanged looks, then looked at Sonny curiously. He never got in trouble with the Captain, so the two Detectives sure were interested in what was happening.

“Peralta, Boyle, give us a moment,” he asked when they made no move to leave, and the two left frowning, looking at Sonny over their shoulders.

"Not cool," Jake muttered.

“Something wrong, Captain?,” Sonny asked nervously when he saw Holt close the door behind them, fidgeting with the buttons on his vest. 

“You tell me,” he said, motioning for Sonny to take a sit on the round table in front of them. “Sergeant Jeffords just informed me that the new ADA assigned to us used to work with you at SVU.”

“Uh, yes,” he nodded dumbly. “Barba was SVU’s go-to.”

“And are you okay working with him again?,” Holt tilted his head, reading him.

Sonny felt fondness flooding in his chest. Holt was looking out for him. 

“Yeah,” Sonny nodded. “I worked closely with him for a while, you know, while I was taking night classes at Fordham Law. We were a good team. I have a lot of respect for Barba.” 

“So, he’s good,” Holt said, and Sonny wasn’t sure if it was a question, but he answered it anyway.

“Barba is the best. No one fights harder than him. He’s a force in court, but he also has a really big heart. He wants to do the right thing for the victims, every time,” Sonny found himself getting more and more worked up the more he talked. “I was surprised to know he’s going to be working with the 99th, but I’m glad he is. I promise you, Captain, you’re getting an amazing ADA on your team.” 

“I wasn’t worried about that,” he shook his head. “I was worried this could potentially bring you bad memories. But I am happy you think so highly of him.”

If Holt really was happy, Sonny couldn’t tell. His face was as neutral as a rock. Holt’s voice was soft, though, so Sonny knew at least he wasn’t angry or annoyed. 

“How’s therapy going?,” he asked. Holt checked on him from time to time, and Sonny was grateful. 

It had been Holt’s first request as his commanding officer. Sonny had to go to therapy. He had been reluctant at first. He was convinced visiting his priest every week was a good form of therapy. 

But Holt gave him a card with the phone number of a psychology Columbia professor his husband, Kevin, respected a lot. She had experience working with both cops and LGBTQ people, so it seemed like his decision was made for him. 

Dr. Mary Lindley was a tall, blonde, middle-aged woman with a soft voice, kind eyes and unending patience. Even when Sonny had been skeptical, she had smiled at him and talked him out of his spiraling. 

Turns out seeing an actual therapist was nothing like visiting his priest, but the two combined helped him get into a process of healing that was way overdue. 

“Good. Very good. I’m making progress,” Sonny nodded. He was very proud of himself for that. There were no more nightmares, no more guilt for leaving, no more second-guessing. “I’m definitely gonna talk to her about this.” 

“About Barba?” 

“Yeah, but in a good way,” he guaranteed with a small smile. “He was never a source of stress for me. Very much the opposite, really.”

Rafael had been his salvation for a long time. He was sure he could have held on to SVU a little longer if the ADA hadn’t left. But now, he was glad they both did. 

“Well, good,” Holt nodded, and stood up. “Sonny, let me know if you need anything. And I’m glad you’re okay with the new ADA because he’s coming over later today.”

“Oh,” Sonny gasped, but didn’t get to say anything else because Holt left the room. 

Of course, as soon as he left the breakroom, Charles and Jake were on him, wanting to know if Holt had ripped him a new one.

“No,” Sonny snorted. “It’s fine. He wanted the gossip on the new ADA.”

Jake scoffed. “What happened to Carl anyway? He was fine. I don’t know why they’re replacing him.”

Sonny always found it endearing how the Nine-Nine got attached to people, but he smirked and told Jake and Charles what Rafael had told him about Carl earlier. Jake’s jaw was on the floor by the time he finished, while Charles was holding his closed with his hand, his eyes wide. 

“That is,” Jake pulled a face, shaking from head to toe. “ _ So _ gross.”

“But he seemed like such a grandma’s boy,” Charles grimaced.

“Ew, don’t make it worse,” Jake waved him off. “So who is the new guy?  _ Or _ girl?” 

“I know him, actually,” Sonny told them excitedly. He liked the Detectives in his squad, but they all went way back and sometimes Sonny got lost in the middle of all the inside jokes. It was good that he and Rafael went way back, too. “I worked with him at SVU. And let me tell you, he is  _ badass _ . You’ll love him. Just you wait and see.”

“Nice,” Jake nodded approvingly, then pointed at Sonny’s desk. “Listen, I know you got a lot of paperwork, so we can meet later to talk about the stakeout.” 

He tapped Sonny on the shoulder and went to his own desk, suddenly pretending to be very interested in something on his computer. Sonny frowned. He honestly did not have that much paperwork. 

When he approached his desk, he saw there was a new pile next to his old one. He opened the file on top and snorted, turning back to say, “Jake, these files are yours.”

“Carisi, please,” he replied exasperatedly. “We’re all trying to do police work here. Stop pushing your -“

“Peralta,” Terry interrupted from his desk. “Get your paperwork off of Sonny’s desk. That’s why you’re always losing stuff, man.” 

“Okay, fine,” Jake stood up rolling his eyes like a petulant child. “But if we’re late for the stakeout, it’s Sonny’s fault.”

“It’s not,” Sonny laughed as he pulled out his chair and sat down, giving Rosa a small smile, which she completely ignored. 

A couple hours later, Sonny was focused on his last bit of paperwork when he saw a shadow fall on his desk. His breath caught on his throat when he looked up. 

“Barba,” he breathed. “Holt told me you were coming.”

“Yes, but a woman who I think is supposed to be his assistant told me he’s on a call, so she asked me to wait in a very annoyed tone,” he shrugged. Sonny was surprised to see he didn’t look irritated at Gina’s behaviour.

But he couldn’t believe he missed the opportunity to see Rafael interacting with the peculiar human being that was Gina Linetti. “Yeah, Gina is… interesting. Please, take a seat,” he gestured to the chair by his desk. 

“Have you got a weird feeling of déjà vu?,” he asked, keeping his voice low. 

“I did, back in your office,” he chuckled. “Seeing you here is more refreshing.”

Rafael looked surprised. “How so?”

“Well, as the Sergeant and I told you earlier, the Nine-Nine is not as serious as SVU. So it’s good seeing you outside that environment.”

“I could say the same, Detective,” he nodded. “And speaking of which, could you come back to the DA’s office tomorrow? I want to go over your statement. It shouldn’t take long.” 

“Oh, that’s fine,” Sonny smiled. “Most of my cases are closed at the moment,” the stakeout tonight was the only case Sonny was currently working on. Holt had told him he closed cases the fastest in the squad, and all their open cases were already assigned. “My time is all yours.”

Rafael snorted. “Good. So say around 3PM?”

“Okay,” he nodded, beaming. Time alone in Rafael’s office was something he didn’t think he’d ever get back. Now here he was, like something out of his wildest dreams. 

“What do we have here?,” Jake materialized out of nowhere, looking sharply at Rafael. “Sonny, why won’t you introduce us to your dapper friend.”

Soon, Amy and Charles approached his desk as well, looking at Rafael curiously. Even Rosa seemed to perk up, though she was still feigning disinterest. 

Sonny rolled his eyes playfully. “Everybody, this is ADA Rafael Barba. We used to work together in Manhattan and now he’s assigned to the Nine-Nine.” 

“Wait a minute,” Jake raised a hand. “ _ The _ Rafael Barba? The prosecutor who got a perp to strangle him with a belt in open court?”

Rafael tilted his head, intrigued. “The one and only.”

“Man, that was so awesome!,” Jake said with wide eyes.

“So awesome, me and Jake printed a picture of you and hung it up in the breakroom for inspiration,” Charles told him excitedly. 

“How did you know he would go for it?,” Amy asked, seeming to recall the case as well.

“Well, he was a violent rapist,” Sonny winced as he watched every smile and excited expression around them turn into a sad or uncomfortable look. “But I did taunt and provoke him mercilessly. You’ll soon see I have a flair for the dramatic.” 

“Nice,” Jake hissed, smiling again. “We also would love to hear embarrassing stories about Sonny. He’s way too prim and proper, I want the dirty deets!”

“Yeah, what’s up with the vests?,” Rosa deadpanned from her desk. 

“My vests are fine,” Sonny said, protectively running a hand over said piece. 

“Detectives,” Captain Holt barked behind them, and they all jumped up. “Why are you pestering ADA Barba?”

“Ah, come on, Captain,” Jake whined. “He was just about to tell us about how Sonny is an embarrassment to the NYPD.”

“Jake!,” Sonny shot him a look. 

“It’s alright, Captain Holt, I was just making the Detectives’ acquaintances,” Rafael smiled politely as he stood up. “I do have a couple stories to share, especially about his undercover endeavors. But another time, perhaps.”

“Thank God,” Sonny muttered as Rafael went to follow Captain Holt into his office, but to Sonny’s dismay he turned back around to the group after a couple steps.

“I hope Carisi has shown you pictures of the mustache he had when he first started at SVU, though,” he said, smirked at Sonny, then left.

“A mustache?!,” Jake squealed as Sonny face-palmed. He knew he wasn’t going to hear the end of it.


	2. Second Strike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nine-Nine goes out for the stakeout but, to keep his cover, Sonny ends up kissing Rafael.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so it all happens here! I hope you like it :D
> 
> Also, follow me on twitter for constant updates on what I'm working on @pastelpinktv!

Despite Jake’s inability to get things done, they weren’t late for the stakeout. Things were going smoothly and as Amy and Jake kept their eye on Augustine in the restaurant he was having dinner, Sonny and Charles got to discuss their plans for the competition while they waited in the surveillance van.

“This is gonna be so easy, I’m not even worried,” Charles said. “Although Rosa will most definitely kills us if we don’t win. She told me so herself.”

Sonny laughed. Rosa did her best to intimidate everyone and, most times, she actually succeeded. But Sonny had a feeling she was just a big softie who was afraid of being mocked about her feelings. “We are going to win, Charles. Or are you doubting our knowledge of fine Italian cuisine?”

“Not at all,” he shook his head so hard Sonny was afraid his brain would come out through his ear. “But the Nine-Eight is known for playing dirty. I’m sure they have a plan to sabotage us.”

“Are you serious?,” his eyebrows shot up. “Man, you guys are really intense here in Brooklyn, aren’t you?!”

Sonny found it very funny the way they took silly things so seriously, but treated serious things as if they were a big joke. 

“You bet,” Charles preened, then checked the rearview mirror. “Hey, Jake and Amy are back.”

Both back seat doors opened at the same time, and the Detectives jumped in a hurry.

“Follow that car,” Jake said in a deep voice as he pointed at Augustine’s red maserati. He sounded very, very excited. 

Charles followed suit. Augustine made a few intricate turns, but ended up on the same main street they were before. It was such a failed attempt to lose someone on their tail, Sonny wondered if maybe Augustine was just horrible at directions. 

“It looks like he’s going to make the drop in that park,” Amy said, pulling out her radio. “I’m calling another unit so we can take him in.” 

Augustine dropped the messenger bag he was holding by a random park bench, looking around for anyone who might have an eye on him. They waited holding their breaths for him to make his way back into his car, and then Amy and Jake jumped on him. 

“Okay, now it’s up to us, Sonny,” Charles said excitedly after Augustine was successfully cuffed and taken by Jake and Amy in a patrol car.

“Cover me, Charles,” he asked. “I need to get closer.” 

“You got it.”

Sonny got out of the car, closing his jacket over his badge and gun. He took out his phone and pretended to take pictures of the trees and fallen leaves for a while, taking the chance to check his surroundings. No one looked suspicious, and the bag still laid abandoned by the bench.

He thought about taking a few more pictures and maybe a video of a squirrel running around when he caught sight of a familiar figure. “Oh, no,” he muttered to himself. 

“Detective Carisi,” Rafael greeted, smiling openly. “What are you doing here? Isn’t it a little dark to be taking selfies in the park?”

“I’m not,” he chuckled. He was about to explain the operation when something distract him.

Sonny caught sight of a tall man in a suit approaching the bench, and his cop instincts went haywire. This was the guy. He came to pick up the bag. But Barba was here. He shouldn’t be here. Sonny could not mess this up. 

“Well, I didn’t get a chance to say this earlier, your coworkers kind of surrounded me,” Rafael said in a playful tone. “But I just wanted you to know that I’m really glad we can work together again. I remember we made a good team.”

God, he really wanted to give Rafael his full attention, but the guy was taking slow steps towards the bag as he looked around the park for anything suspicious.

“Barba, you can’t be here,” he said urgently, hoping Barba would pick up the panic in his voice.

“Believe me, the decision to leave Manhattan was not an easy one. But thankfully I knew the Brooklyn DA, so I asked him for a favor,” he sighed. Sonny’s eyes widened when he saw the man make quicker steps towards the dropped bag. He looked around sharply again, and this time his eyes locked with Sonny’s and narrowed. “But I was surprised to see you here, too. And they say lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice, uh?!”

“Oh, no,” he said, paying half a mind to what Rafael was saying. The man looked suspicious of them. He was getting ready to run, Sonny knew. He had about one second to make a decision. “Rafael, I’m so sorry.”

That was the only warning Rafael got before Sonny kissed him. He closed his eyes on instinct, despite his cop senses telling him to stay alert. But Rafael was kissing him back, a hand placed gently on the back of his neck, and it felt like a dream. Because he was  _ kissing Rafael Barba. _

His hands settled gently on Rafael’s hips and Sonny relished on how warm and soft his lips were, how well their lips moved together, how there seemed to be a chorus of “hallelujah” playing on the back of his mind. He almost groaned at the jolt that ran through his body when he felt Rafael’s tongue touch his bottom lip in a delicate request. But the shock of it was enough to make him snap his eyes open in time to see that their perp had picked up the discarded bag and had started to walk away.

Sonny broke the kiss suddenly, drawing his gun and flashing his badge. “NYPD! Drop the bag! Hands where I can see them!,” he shouted, running towards the man as he dropped to his knees on the grass. “You’re under arrest.”

He pulled the bag away as he read the perp’s rights but, when he looked over his shoulders to say sorry again for springing something like that on Rafael, Sonny noticed he was gone. He tried not to let his disappointment show as he cuffed the guy.

“I’m sorry I ruined your date, man,” the perp said, and Sonny scoffed at how genuine he actually sounded. “He seemed well into you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sonny pulled him to his feet. “I did say you have the right to remain silent, didn’t I?!”

Sonny manhandled the guy towards the back of the van, where Charles was waiting for him with wide eyes and an even wider smile. Sonny looped the perp’s handcuffs in the metal poll and pulled at them, making sure the guy didn’t have too much room to jiggle. He closed the van’s doors with more force than necessary, Charles’ eyes still on him.

“What is it, Boyle?,” he asked, annoyed. That seemed to be enough to set him off, and Charles immediately started yelling.

“Sonny! You kissed Barba! What the hell?,” he jumped up and down, pulling at Sonny’s forearm.

Sonny couldn’t help but laugh at his enthusiasm, but he gently pulled his arm away and rounded the van to get in the passenger seat. “I had to keep my cover, Boyle.” 

Charles snickered, skipping towards the driver’s side with a pep to his step. “Oh, but he was so into that!,” he continued, loudly. “Did you guys get down to business at SVU?”

“No,” he shook his head urgently. “We were just coworkers”

“Are you sure?,” Charles wiggled his eyebrows as he turned the engine on. “Because I had just started on my speech for your wedding day. I got some real good material.” 

Sonny sighed deeply, throwing his head back against the seat and closing his eyes. He knew Charles was just being his upbeat, optimistic, ‘I want my friends to be happy’ self, but it made him resent him for being so off base.

“Listen, I don’t know your history,” Charles started, his voice a little calmer and sober now. “And I know SVU is like pretty dark and stuff, but man, you didn’t see the look on his face when you pulled away.”

Sonny opened his eyes and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He looked fully dazed,” he said, his voice going up an octave again. “Like all glassy-eyed, I swear. And then when he realized you did it to keep your cover, he looked very, very disappointed. He left quickly, right after you started reading the guy’s rights.”

“You’re not just saying that?,” Sonny couldn’t help the hope swelling on his chest. He knew that Rafael kissing back had to mean something, but knowing he was disappointed that it was just a cover-up meant it  _ definitely  _ meant something.

“I’m not! I know what I saw,” Charles said as he reached for a beat-up small notebook in his pocket. “Which is why I got started on your wedding speech.”

“Charles,” he groaned, rolling his eyes. 

“Seriously, though, Sonny. You should at least talk to him.”

“Well, I do owe him an apology,” Sonny shrugged. 

“Don’t make it seem like you regret it,” Charles advised. “Get your man, Sonny Boy!,” he woo-hooed. Sonny groaned again.

He definitely didn’t regret it, even if it had happened under less than ideal circumstances. 

Sonny had wondered, back while they were still at SVU, what would happen if he just someday closed the distance between them. 

He and Rafael were always leaning so close to each other, closer than necessary, like they were magnets who couldn’t resist each other’s pull. So what if Sonny just went with the pull? 

Considering the way Rafael held on to him and kissed him back, he imagined he now knew the answer to that question. But they definitely needed to talk about it.

* * *

The thing that caught Sonny completely off guard was that Rafael didn’t seem affected by what had happened between them at all.

He arrived at the DA’s office fifteen minutes early the next day, his hands sweating and his shoulders tense. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but pretending nothing happened definitely wasn’t what he had planned. He really wanted to talk to Rafael about it. At least to apologize.

But Rafael was all business, offering Sonny a cup a coffee as soon as he walked in, which he accepted, and then they jumped straight into his testimony. It wasn’t difficult, they had worked together enough to know what the other was like, and Sonny anticipated most of Rafael’s questions. 

When they were done, Rafael was quick to dismiss him, thanking him for his time and good work. But Sonny was having none of that. They needed to talk. 

He was not about to restart their routine of dancing around each other like they did at SVU. 

“Can we talk about what happened last night?,” he blurted out before Rafael dismissed him again, after Sonny made no indication to move.

Rafael blinked. “I didn’t know there was anything to talk about. You needed to keep your cover, so you did. It’s fine.”

“But I wanted to apologize for springing that on you. Come on Barba, we worked SVU -”

“Don’t go there,” he warned with a sharp look. “If I remember correctly I did kiss you back.” 

Sonny nodded. “You did. I was surprised by that. And I was even more surprised that you left.” 

Rafael averted his gaze then, choosing to look at the papers scattered on his desk. “Well, you were busy. It made no sense for me to stay.”

“But would you?,” he asked urgently. “Would you have stayed?”

Rafael looked at him for a long moment and after a while Sonny wasn’t sure if he was going to reply. Sonny hoped for something, any indication of a yes or a no. But instead the ADA sighed, leaning back in his chair.

“How is it?,” he asked suddenly. “Working for a local precinct with smaller cases.”

Oh, so Rafael was changing the subject. Sonny sighed, defeated. He considered the question for a moment. He had spent a lot of time comparing the 99th and SVU. “For a while I felt like I was slumming it, you know. I mean, don’t get me wrong, but the cases the Nine-Nine works are a breeze compared to SVU.”

“I’ve noticed that,” Rafael nodded. “Opening and closing statements have never been this easy.”

“Exactly,” Sonny slapped his knee, excited that someone knew where he was coming from. He didn’t want anyone to think he was big-headed. “We don’t have to convince the whole planet that a person didn’t want to get robbed, or that they didn’t want to be murdered. It’s so much more black and white. You know, there is something to be said about misdemeanors”

“Yeah, but I’m afraid my theatrics won’t be necessary,” he teased.

“That’s a pity,” Sonny smiled. “Do you miss it?”

“SVU?,” Rafael shook his head. “No. I miss Olivia. I missed you, too.”

Sonny blinked. He what? 

“But I’m glad to work simpler cases now. Cases that don’t give me nightmares for weeks or that don’t make me question my morals daily. I even have a regular sleeping schedule now, can you believe that?,” he chuckled. “I get a proper lunch hour, and I can enjoy early dinners.”

Sonny laughed at how such small things made such a difference. Rafael did look so much more rested, lighter, like he was no longer holding the weight of the universe on his shoulders. It was nice to see. But Sonny was still a little bit hung up on Rafael saying he missed him. 

Especially because Sonny had missed him too. 

“Hey, do you want to get a drink with me later?,” he asked, but Rafael didn’t seem at all surprised by the invitation. “I can tell you all the secrets about the squad.”

Rafael smiled softly. “Sure.”

“Okay, good,” Sonny beamed. “I’ll text you the address. It’s not Forlini’s, but there’s a good bar a few blocks from here.”

Sonny stood up with a nod, and made his way to the door, but before he reached for the handle, Rafael called his name. He turned to see the ADA with a soft look on his face and a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“I would have stayed,” Rafael said, his voice small, but even. 

Sonny smiled back. “I wanted you to.” 

* * *

Sonny sat alone at a corner booth at Shawn’s Bar. Rafael was twenty minutes late, and he started suspecting he might not be coming at all. He checked his phone for what felt like the hundredth time, but there was no new notification.

When Sonny texted him the address, Rafael replied with an affirmative. So he didn’t expect to be stood up.

He sighed deeply, taking the last sip of his beer. He considered getting up and ordering another when someone slammed a bottle in front of him. Sonny was surprised to find Rosa looking at him with what seemed to be an open, curious expression.

“You pass,” she said, pushing the bottle closer to him.

“Uh?,” Sonny replied dumbly, looking between the drink and the Detective.

“I wasn’t sure you could be trusted. Dapper white guy from Manhattan, I assumed you were a douche. But you’re cool. And I know you’ve seen some shit. So I respect you.”

Sonny couldn’t help but smile as he accepted the beer. “Thanks, Rosa. I’m glad you trust me now.”

“We’re a family at the Nine-Nine,” Rosa said, and her tone dropped to a grave one as she continued, “And we look out for each other. Remember that.” 

“I will,” he nodded. “I’m happy to work with you guys.” 

She gave him the tiniest approving smile, nodded, then left.

And Sonny almost choked on his sip of beer because right behind her was Rafael Barba, looking intrigued by the exchange with a glass of scotch in hand.

“Well, what the hell was that?,” he asked with a chuckle. 

“Rosa being Rosa,” he waved a hand then motioned for Rafael to take a sit. Surprisingly, he settled in the booth closer than Sonny expected. “I’m glad you could come.”

“Me, too,” he replied with an honest smile. “I’m sorry I’m late, a paralegal refused to leave my office.”

“Oh, you got yourself a fan already?,” Sonny teased.

Rafael laughed. “It seems I inspire something in people. You would know a thing or two about that, wouldn’t you, Carisi?”

Sonny felt the heat coming up his neck and reaching his face before he could get a reply ready. For a moment, he thought about shrugging it off, but instead decided to face the music. “I would say I am the originator of your fan-club. Also, people at the Nine-Nine call me Sonny. You should too.”

“Really?,” he raised an eyebrow. “How did you manage that?”

“It’s not like it’s hard,” he snorted. “People at SVU are just too uptight. God forbid we make personal relationships on the job even though we’re faced with the most fucked shit every day, right? Wouldn’t want to get too supportive.”

Rafael considered him for a moment, tilting his head. “You’re really over SVU, uh?”

Sonny snorted and took a sip of his beer. “I don’t miss it. But I don’t regret it either. We did solid work there.”

“You did amazing work, Carisi,” Rafael leaned closer, his voice firm. “I lost count of how many cases you salvaged thanks to your incessant researching. You were, by far, the easiest Detective to work with. You brought the most airtight cases. Plus, definitely the only one who didn’t have an anger issue.”

“I’m not sure that’s something to cheer to,” he joked. “Are you going to call me Sonny at some point?”

“Sorry, old habits. Sonny,” he winked. “So, let’s move on to your new, happy home. You promised me all the gossip on the 99th.”

Sonny went on a long rant about each member of the squad, and surprisingly Rafael payed attention to everything he said. He even laughed at some of his anecdotes about Jake and seemed particularly intrigued by Rosa’s and Gina’s mannerisms. He agreed that he and Charles had a lot in common, and said he was curious to see the two of them work together.

“And honestly, it’s great working under an openly gay Captain. Kinda gives me hope after seeing so many hate crimes,” he finished off. “They are great people, great cops, even if it doesn’t seem like they take it seriously sometimes.”

Rafael nodded, a soft look on his face. “That is great. I’m glad, Sonny. You do look about five years younger now than the last time I saw you.”

“Uh, so I guess that puts fifteen years between us, right?,” he laughed out loud at the outright offended expression Rafael was sporting.

“We were having such a fun night,” Rafael scoffed, taking a sip of his scotch with a playful roll of his eyes.

“We  _ are _ having a great night,” Sonny moved closer to him. “I gotta say, Rafael, I was surprised you kissed me back yesterday. I kinda expected you to push me away.”

“Why would I do that?,” he snickered. “A smart, young, attractive Detective kisses me, of course I’d kiss back.”

Sonny blushed again, but this time he wore it with pride as he preened under Rafael’s compliment. “I thought you saw me as an annoying, half-competent, beanpole lawyer wannabe.”

Rafael threw his head back laughing, and Sonny smiled at the sight. He had never seen Rafael look so carefree, and it was an amazing look on him. 

“I think you’re projecting there, Sonny. You were always a great Detective, and a promising lawyer, and even when you had that awful mustache, I still thought you were attractive.”

“Now you’re just really stretching it,” he shook his head. “I don’t believe that for a second. My clothes didn’t even fit me properly back then.”

“Well, yeah, it was a tragedy,” Rafael said, then he looked into Sonny’s eyes intensely. “But you can’t escape those eyes. They really get to you, you know.” 

Sonny was stunned at Rafael’s candor and at the way he was looking at him. He couldn’t help it, he leaned closer and closer until he closed the gap between them and kissed him. 

The kiss was better this time. It was softer, and more promising. Rafael’s hand came up to the back of his neck again, and he held on to Sonny more firmly. This time, when he felt Rafael’s tongue tentatively touch his bottom lip, he welcomed it with no hesitation, enjoying the jolt of pure energy that ran through him. 

It felt like he was struck by lightning.

His cupped Rafael’s jaw softly, almost like a caress, and tilted his head a little more so he could lick deeper into his mouth. He heard Rafael’s breath hitch, and the ADA’s free hand fell on his thigh. It was unbelievably hot. 

Sonny had no plans to end the kiss anytime soon, he was ready to completely drink Rafael in, never coming out for air, but then he heard a few giggles and someone making a shushing sound. He knew before he even broke away from Rafael that they had an audience.

And he was right.

He only had a couple seconds to take in Rafael’s completely dazed and kissed-out look before he turned his head to find Jake, Gina, Charles, Rosa and Terry standing by their table.

Gina had her phone out, and she seemed to be taking pictures nonstop. “This is for your wedding slideshow,” she informed them with a smirk.

“I knew it,” Rosa said, looking smug. “Sonny looked like a cat on catnip when Rafael came by the precinct earlier.”

Terry was the only one trying to push them away from the table. “Guys, let’s give them some privacy.”

“Get it, Sonny Boy!,” Jake and Charles both singsonged and gave Sonny thumbs up as they tried to fight Terry’s strong arms pulling them away. “I still want those dirty deets!,” Jake yelled back.

Beside him, Rafael snorted. “You were right about them.”

He shrugged. “They really mean well.” 

“I know,” Rafael nodded, smiling brightly. “I’m glad you’re getting along nicely with them. I think they consider you family already.”

Sonny beamed. “I think so, too. And I’m sure you’ll fit right in.”

“I look forward to that,” Rafael brushed a fallen strand of hair away from Sonny’s forehead and leaned closer again. “What is the probability of them interrupting us again?”

“Very high,” he laughed. “Wanna get out of here?”

Rafael nodded enthusiastically. “After you, Detective.” 

When Sonny left SVU for the Nine-Nine, he never imagined he would end up finding himself and his heart all in one go. But as he took Rafael’s hand in his and waved his squad goodbye, he knew he was right where he needed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will probably end up adding to this eventually because I'm always thinking about headcanons for Sonny and Raf at the Nine-Nine. Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see! 
> 
> Thank you for reading and supporting this story. NINE-NINE!! 
> 
> PS: Please, kudos and comments are what keep me going. They put the biggest smile on my face, and inspire me to write more.

**Author's Note:**

> When Sonny says the 99th isn't as sober as SVU he means everybody is on CRACK. Next part should be up on saturday! If you know the episode, you know what's coming. 
> 
> Let me know what you think of Sonny and Raf in the Nine-Nine! I love comments and kudos :D


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